Remember yesterday when we posted a story about an immigration raid in Iowa during Election Day? Here's another story in the Des Moines Register. Marissa Graciosa with the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) and Erica Palmer from Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (CCI) are quoted:
By GRANT SCHULTE
Federal immigration agents returned to Agriprocessors Inc. on Tuesday and arrested one suspected illegal immigrant in a follow-up to a May raid, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official said.
The secretive operation shocked an already rattled Postville, which has struggled in recent weeks as the kosher meat plant - the city's largest employer - verges on financial collapse.
Agents descended on the plant Tuesday afternoon, said two church pastors who have helped the company's workers in recent months. Frightened plant employees then began arriving at St. Bridget's Catholic Church, they said.
"Our office is in a state of chaos," said the Rev. Paul Ouderkirk of St. Bridget's Catholic Church. "We have people coming off the streets right now in fear."
Agriprocessors was the site of one of the nation's largest single-site immigration raids in May. Federal agents detained 389 illegal immigrant workers in an investigation that continued the national debate over immigration and led to criminal charges against a top executive.
One woman who arrived at the church said agents arrested her husband, who is Hispanic, said the Rev. Steve Brackett of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Postville. Brackett said Postville's streets emptied quickly as word spread that immigration agents had arrived.
Tim Counts, an ICE spokesman, said agents arrested one man at the plant who was a suspected illegal immigrant. Counts declined to identify the man, but confirmed that agents were still present at the plant Tuesday evening.
Bob Teig, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney, confirmed that ICE agents had visited the plant but declined to disclose the reason.
Federal authorities typically release criminal complaints and other case information through an online registry of court records. No records connected to Agriprocessors had been posted to the site by Tuesday evening.
Authorities can detain suspected illegal immigrants without public notice if no criminal charges are filed, Counts said. He said ICE generally confirms the arrest of specific individuals if they are given the person's name.
An advocate for immigration reform criticized the federal action and its timing.
"It's appalling that the federal agents chose today, Election Day, to spread fear amongst the residents of Postville," said Marissa Graciosa, director of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement.
Erica Palmer, a community organizer for Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, called the action "inhumane and destructive to our community fabric."
Tuesday's operation followed a devastating month for Agriprocessors. Federal agents in October arrested Sholom Rubashkin, 49, a top plant manager, on immigration and identity-theft charges. A St. Louis bank alleged in a lawsuit that the company had defaulted on a $35 million loan. Iowa's Labor Department proposed nearly $10 million in fines for assorted labor violations. And the company reportedly owes hundreds of thousands of dollars to Alliant Energy and nearly $70,000 to the city of Postville.
Chaim Abrahams, an Agriprocessors spokesman, did not return several phone messages Tuesday.
Brackett said that the raid and its recent aftershocks threaten Postville's future. The plant came in the 1980s and brought jobs and workers from nearly 20 countries.
"I just shake my head and think, who could think of this as a good idea?" Brackett said.
Showing posts with label Iowa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iowa. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
IOWA: Immigration Raid in Postville!!!
This is horrible. We just got news that there was an immigration raid at Agriprocessors, Inc. in Postville, IA today. This same plant just was raided back in May. Voters and GOTV volunteers, don't be intimidated!
Federal agents returned to Agriprocessors Inc. in Postville on Tuesday in an apparent follow-up to a May immigration raid and have arrested at least one Hispanic employee, local religious leaders said.
Agents descended on the kosher meat plant this afternoon, said two church pastors who have helped the plant’s workers in recent months. Workers began arriving at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church seeking help, they said.
“Our office is in a state of chaos,” said the Rev. Paul Ouderkirk, pastor at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church. “We have people coming off the streets right now in fear.”
Agriprocessors was the site of one of the largest single-site immigration raids in May. Federal agents detained 389 illegal immigrant workers in an investigation that spurred the national debate over immigration and led to criminal charges against a top executive.
One woman who arrived at the church said agents arrested her husband at the plant, said the Rev. Steve Brackett. Brackett said Postville’s streets emptied quickly as word spread that federal agents had arrived.
“We only have one confirmed report of an arrest right now,” Brackett said. “The assumption is, they’re here for additional people.”
Tim Counts, a spokesman for the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, referred all questions to the U.S. Attorney’s office. Bob Teig, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney, did not return two phone messages.
Federal agents returned to Agriprocessors Inc. in Postville on Tuesday in an apparent follow-up to a May immigration raid and have arrested at least one Hispanic employee, local religious leaders said.
Agents descended on the kosher meat plant this afternoon, said two church pastors who have helped the plant’s workers in recent months. Workers began arriving at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church seeking help, they said.
“Our office is in a state of chaos,” said the Rev. Paul Ouderkirk, pastor at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church. “We have people coming off the streets right now in fear.”
Agriprocessors was the site of one of the largest single-site immigration raids in May. Federal agents detained 389 illegal immigrant workers in an investigation that spurred the national debate over immigration and led to criminal charges against a top executive.
One woman who arrived at the church said agents arrested her husband at the plant, said the Rev. Steve Brackett. Brackett said Postville’s streets emptied quickly as word spread that federal agents had arrived.
“We only have one confirmed report of an arrest right now,” Brackett said. “The assumption is, they’re here for additional people.”
Tim Counts, a spokesman for the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, referred all questions to the U.S. Attorney’s office. Bob Teig, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney, did not return two phone messages.
IOWA: Voters report mix-ups and "spoiled" ballots in Iowa
We have an article from the Des Moines Register about voting problems in Iowa, It features Hugh Espey of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (CCI), whose organization helped break the story about student voting problems:
Election Day brought voter registration mix-ups in Des Moines, broken ballot scanners in Indianola, “spoiled” ballots in Urbandale and a voting controversy at Grinnell College.
Members of a special precinct board will review a challenge to 50 Grinnell students’ absentee ballots at a hearing Thursday. Leaders of the Poweshiek County Republican Party wanted election officials to toss the votes because the students used the school’s mailing address on the ballots instead of their own campus addresses.
Grinnell College students have their own post office box numbers. The complaint, filed Monday, alleges the school’s mailing address doesn’t match the students’ residential addresses.
County officials said they didn’t know if the flap would impact election results there. But community activists urged election officials not to delay in resolving the matter.
“These students should not be penalized for following the guidelines,” said Hugh Espey, executive director of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, in a statement.
Read the rest here.
Election Day brought voter registration mix-ups in Des Moines, broken ballot scanners in Indianola, “spoiled” ballots in Urbandale and a voting controversy at Grinnell College.
Members of a special precinct board will review a challenge to 50 Grinnell students’ absentee ballots at a hearing Thursday. Leaders of the Poweshiek County Republican Party wanted election officials to toss the votes because the students used the school’s mailing address on the ballots instead of their own campus addresses.
Grinnell College students have their own post office box numbers. The complaint, filed Monday, alleges the school’s mailing address doesn’t match the students’ residential addresses.
County officials said they didn’t know if the flap would impact election results there. But community activists urged election officials not to delay in resolving the matter.
“These students should not be penalized for following the guidelines,” said Hugh Espey, executive director of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, in a statement.
Read the rest here.
IOWA TURNOUT: Iowa CCI Makes Lots of Calls
Here's an update on the calls that staff and volunteers with Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement are making to remind people to vote ... Keep up the great work!
All in all, there have been more than 2300 households contacted. Excluding bad numbers, people without answering machines, and those who refused (hung up on us), we have spoken to or left messages with about 1440 households. Of the households we have spoken with:
All in all, there have been more than 2300 households contacted. Excluding bad numbers, people without answering machines, and those who refused (hung up on us), we have spoken to or left messages with about 1440 households. Of the households we have spoken with:
- 89% say they are definitely voting
- 6% say they aren't sure whether they'll vote
- 5% say they will not vote
IOWA VOTER SUPPRESSION: Student Registrations Being Challenged
We just got this report from Adam Mason at Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement:
Sounds like a team of Republican Lawyers is challenging student registrations. This is something we are monitoring now. One of our staffers is a recent graduate from Grinnell College, so we got some word of this last night. It is also in one of our targeted areas, so we want to learn more about what is going on on the ground --- but just wanted to give you a heads up.
http://iowaindependent.com/8068/students-face-ballot-challenges-in-battleground-district
In response, the students have re-registered (same day registered) students who were challenged at their dorm room address, and there are quite a few questions in with county officials.
Sounds like a team of Republican Lawyers is challenging student registrations. This is something we are monitoring now. One of our staffers is a recent graduate from Grinnell College, so we got some word of this last night. It is also in one of our targeted areas, so we want to learn more about what is going on on the ground --- but just wanted to give you a heads up.
http://iowaindependent.com/8068/students-face-ballot-challenges-in-battleground-district
In response, the students have re-registered (same day registered) students who were challenged at their dorm room address, and there are quite a few questions in with county officials.
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